Train drivers’ union sets new strike dates in England

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The UK’s major prepare drivers’ union has introduced extra strikes and warned it’s making ready to accentuate industrial motion this autumn as hopes fade of a deal to finish greater than a 12 months of stoppages.

Aslef on Friday stated drivers at 16 prepare corporations would stroll out on September 1 in a row over pay and adjustments to working practices. It additionally introduced an time beyond regulation ban throughout the UK rail community on September 2.

Strikes by drivers usually trigger extreme disruption at affected operators, cancelling the overwhelming majority of companies. The time beyond regulation ban is prone to result in much less extreme disruption, however will nonetheless set off cancellations as many corporations depend on drivers engaged on their days off to run a full timetable.

Aslef normal secretary Mick Whelan stated he had come underneath stress from members to accentuate the union’s marketing campaign of business motion, which has lasted greater than a 12 months.

“The longer it goes on with none contact from the federal government or any of the employers to resolve the scenario, we might must go more durable and sooner to make our voice heard,” he stated.

Aslef is demanding a considerably increased pay deal than the newest put ahead by prepare operators, significantly as its members haven’t had a wage rise since 2019.

Whelan added that the union may take into account a everlasting ban on time beyond regulation work, which might trigger systemic disruption and doubtless power everlasting timetable adjustments.

Aslef in April rejected a suggestion of 8 per cent over two years, tied to sweeping adjustments to drivers’ working lives, akin to extra versatile shift rostering and time beyond regulation work.

The union has not held talks with prepare corporations since April, or the federal government, which controls the business’s funds, since January.

Separate talks between the rail business and RMT union — which in April rejected a 9 per cent two-year pay deal — have additionally stalled, leaving passengers dealing with the prospect of strikes all through the remainder of the 12 months.

The RMT is because of maintain two additional 24-hour walkouts on August 26 and September 2.

Practice drivers have just about closed the rail community by way of one-day strikes 11 instances over the previous 12 months and precipitated important disruption by way of 5 weeks of bans on drivers clocking on for time beyond regulation.

Ministers and prepare corporations have lengthy stated the business can not afford increased pay rises and should impose adjustments to working practices, following a decline in income amid a shift to homeworking accelerated by the pandemic.

Passenger numbers have steadily elevated over the previous 12 months however journeys by commuters on peak hour trains have been the slowest to return.

Complete passenger income within the first quarter of the 12 months, the newest for which information is on the market, was £2.2bn, down greater than a 3rd from the £3.2bn in the identical quarter 4 years in the past, in keeping with the Workplace of Rail and Street, an business regulator.

The Division for Transport stated the federal government had facilitated “honest and cheap pay gives”. “Union leaders ought to cease blocking their members from having a vote on these gives and provides them the prospect to assist resolve this dispute,” it added.

The Rail Supply Group, which represents prepare operators, referred to as on Aslef to place its “honest and cheap” pay provide to members as a substitute of putting.

“We urge the Aslef management to acknowledge the substantial monetary challenges dealing with the rail business and collaborate with us to attain a extra reliable and sturdy railway system for the longer term,” it stated.